SwiftRunner

[page="start"]
[if_know_name goto="main"]
[goto="dont_know_name"]
[endpage]


[page="dont_know_name"]

[colour="#808080"]
You see a dark wolf-creature, who watches you with
intelligent eyes.

Finally he speaks in a snarling voice.

"Who are you and what do you want with me?"

[link="Who are you?"]
[linkto="name"]
[link="What are you?"]
[linkto="what"]
[link="What are you doing out here?"]
[linkto="banished"]

[colour="#ffffff"]
[endpage]


[page="name"]
[learn_name]

"I am SwiftRunner, son of Lightfoot Olias and heir to the
 throne of ????.  I was usurped by the treacherous
 General RedTooth.

 Now I have been banished into the desert."

[link="Tell me about RedTooth."]
[linkto="redtooth"]
[link="Tell me about the revolt."]
[linkto="revolt"]
[link="Why were you expelled?"]
[linkto="revolt"]

[endpage]


[page="revolt"]

"It is a long story.. one that brings back sad
 memories.

 I can tell it if you wish."

[link="Tell me about the revolt."]
[linkto="revolt2"]
[link="Why is it sad?"]
[linkto="revolt_sad"]
[link="Tell me some other time."]
[linkto="revolt_notnow"]

[endpage]


[page="revolt_sad"]

"My dear brother, Grey.  If he was here today, life would
 be so much easier.
 
 Cursed be the false god, Aa'Ruuff the Betrayer!"


[link="Tell me about your brother."]
[linkto="grey"]
[link="Tell me about your God."]
[linkto="aaruuf"]
[link="Tell me about the revolt."]
[linkto="revolt2"]

[endpage]


[page="revolt2"]

"My brother, Grey, was the leader of the City.
 He made a fine ruler, with charisma, a strong,
 decisive leadership and an excellent sense of
 justice.

 We worshipped a God called Aa'Ruuff, who created us
 centuries ago, according to the litany.
 
 He protected us and taught us many things.

 My brother, as leader of the pack, was close to
 Aa'Ruuff, and relayed His teachings to the people.

 One day, Aa'Ruuff announced that we were no further
 use to Him and we would all be destroyed by His new
 worshippers.. Men."

[nextpage="revolt3"]

[endpage]


[page="revolt3"]

"Grey prepared us for the war against Men and
 several vast battles were fought.  The field
 of bones is testimony to this.

 But tragedy struck.  Grey and I were on a hunt together,
 because he always preferred to catch his own prey.  We
 took reasonable precautions, a dozen guards always
 accompanied the hunts.

 But human sniper, sent by Aa'Ruuff, slew Grey before we
 even knew what was happening.

 I took his place with some success, but once the human
 attacks were over, the people became discontented."

[nextpage="revolt4"]

[endpage]

[page="revolt4"]

"An ambitious general called RedTooth kept stirring
 things up and alleged that I and my advisors still
 worshipped Aa'Ruuff.  Nonsense, of course.

 He gained enough support for a coup to take place
 and we were banished from the City."

[nextpage="revolt5"]

[endpage]



[page="aaruuf"]

"He is no God of mine!

 But for centuries our people worshipped Him.  The litany
 says He created us.  But ten years ago, He announced
 that we would be destroyed by His new worshippers!

 He betrayed our people and there was a war against
 the Men that He sent to kill us.
 
 My poor brother Grey had planned all our defences,
 so Aa'Ruuf had him assassinated."

[link="Tell me about the revolt."]
[linkto="revolt3"]

[endpage]



[page="grey"]

"My elder brother was the leader of the Waarg before the
 Betrayal.  He was a very handsome waarg, with an argent
 grey coat that shone with vitality.  Most of us have
 dark fur, so he was named 'Grey'.

 We grew up together.  We were given a lot of freedom,
 and we spent many happy years playing together in the
 forest, a few miles from the city.

 When the leader grew old, Grey was picked to succeed
 him on the throne.

 Grey made a fine leader.. courageous, wise, handsome and
 with tremendous charisma.  He was privy to many of
 Aa'Ruuff's secrets."

[link="What happened to him?"]
[linkto="grey_dead"]

[endpage]



[page="grey_dead"]

Swiftrunner becomes distressed.

"My brother was killed when Men attacked our city.  We
 were outside the city at the time, engaged in a hunt,
 with our usual complement of guards, for Grey always
 insisted on catching his own food.

 There were twelve of us, but Aa'Ruuff had singled Grey
 out to His human worshippers..  probably to throw the
 Waarg into leaderless chaos.

 They had firearms.  He didn't stand a chance."

[link="Are you sure he's dead?"]
[linkto="grey_dead_sure"]
[link="How did he die?"]
[linkto="grey_dead_how"]

[endpage]




[page="grey_dead_sure"]

"Of course he's dead!  They blew his brains out!
 I saw it with my own eyes!"

[endpage]




[page="grey_dead_how"]

The creature recalls his brother's death and relates it to you with some
difficulty.

"He was shot in the head.  His last act was a yell for me to get clear.

 A shot rang out, and.. and there was a great chunk of his head.. missing.
 He.. staggered for a second and then fell.

 They took his body away with them.  I d-don't know why.  Perhaps they
 w-wanted his fur or something..

 I erected a tombstone at the spot where he fell, and a statue was built
 in his honour."

[endpage]



Grey probably would have lead the resistance against Aa'Ruuff and become an
even greater hero if he hadn't been struck down
